My Design philosophy
PHILOSOPHY 1
Functionality is everything- think use of rooms, furniture layout, circulation and organisation (storage)
How I Applied This
I only had 107sqm to work with and I had to squeeze my design studio in too. Every inch is accounted for. I took the storage right up high and designed a 3-way bathroom/laundry so we can all use it concurrently.
PHILOSOPHY 2
Include custom elements.
How I Applied This
- The built-in dining bench- a highly efficient use of space (and everyone loves it!)
- All the window furnishings
- The ottoman is a custom recover (not quite finished)
- The tiled benchtop on the kitchen island
- Swapping out handles and building in Ikea storage
- My Turkish rug is custom
- I hand painted the walls in my hallway.
PHILOSOPHY 3
Re-purpose/salvage where you can.
How I Applied This
I can’t remember the last time I bought something new for my home. Scouring vintage/antique shops is a great joy and imagining how I might re-purpose is a creative outlet. I re-stitch, re-upholster, re-frame, re-paint.
PHILOSOPHY 4
Work out what colours you love and use variations of them everywhere.
How I Applied This
I love warm, earthy terracottas and then I:
- Soften them next to olive green
- Freshen them next to warm whites
- Balance them next to blues
- Punctuate them with sunny yellows.
PHILOSOPHY 5
Use you home to tell your story
How I Applied This
This renovation has taught me a lot about my style:
- I had no wish for a calm home. I wanted it to be optimistic.
- I am not a minimalist. I like decoration.
- I like things out in full view where I can get to them- storage jars and utensils in the kitchen, books in the living room, jewellery on my dressing table.
- I like simple oak furniture overlaid with ethnic décor- indigenous artworks, Asian ceramics, Turkish rugs, African baskets, Indian blockprints.
- I give a nod to the beach with jute runners, seascape artworks, rattan and tropical foliage.
- I treasure things that belonged to both my grandmothers’- a framed embroidery, porcelain teacups, pottery, old family photos.
PHILOSOPHY 6
Use textiles to further personalise your home and to add comfort.
How I Applied This
The pictures below tell the story here. Textiles are at the heart of what I do.
The Facts
- We purchased our weatherboard cottage in 2021.
- Situated in Hamilton, it is around 100 years old and sits on a small, 205sqm block.
- I renovated the bedrooms in 2022 and the rest of the house in 2023.
Scope
Apart from sunken piers at the back of the house, structurally it was sound and had been given a new roof by the previous owner. Aesthetically, however the property was not in good shape.
The works have been extensive. We have replaced:
- Wiring
- Asbestos
- Some of the weatherboards
- All windows & sliding doors
- Ceilings & internal walls (now insulated)
- Skirting, cornices, architraves
- Flooring in back section
- Kitchen
- Bathroom/laundry
- Design studio for me (in a former bedroom)
- A tiny 10sqm extension is our living room.
Still to complete
The interior is more or less done- although I have a list in my head of creative projects I am planning to take on in the next couple of years (a few improvements to lighting and some upholstery projects, like bedheads).
The front façade and entrance will be one of the final pieces of the puzzle.
- Front fencing
- Front garden
- Front door needs repairing/replacing
- I’d love some decorative fretwork around the verandah
The tiny back yard is getting there- it’s now a paved courtyard with new planting.
I’d love to cover part of this and create a covered “outdoor room”, coming directly off the lounge room.
